Party leaders McNeil, Baillie, MacDonald to helm Ivany panel

Premier Stephen McNeil, left, and Official Opposition Leader Jamie Baillie talk with Ray Ivany, chairman of the Nova Scotia Commission on Building Our New Economy, after the commission presented its final report in February. (RYAN TAPLIN / Staff)

Premier Stephen McNeil officially named the group of people on Monday that will oversee the implementation of the Ivany report.

A week after much of the list leaked, the complete group of 15 was revealed to include the premier as chairman and opposition party leaders Jamie Baillie and Maureen MacDonald as vice-chairpersons. They are joined by Nova Scotia Federation of Labour president Rick Clarke, Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities president and Kentville Mayor Dave Corkum and Martha Crago, vice-president of research at Dalhousie University.

The rest of the oneNS Coalition includes: Henry Demone, CEO for High Liner Foods Inc.; J.P. Deveau, president of Acadian Seaplants Ltd.; Saeed El-Darahali, president and CEO of SimplyCast.com; Celtic Colours International Festival executive director Joella Foulds; Danny Graham, former provincial Liberal leader and head of Engage Nova Scotia; Jevon MacDonald, co-founder of GoInstant.com; Rankin MacSween, president of New Dawn Enterprises Ltd.; Chief Sidney Peters, the co-chairman of the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq Chiefs; and Dr. Gaynor Watson-Creed, the medical officer of health for the Capital district health authority.

A government news release said the coalition, which was scheduled to meet for the second time Monday night, is “developing work plans in the three key areas of attitude, people, and economic growth based on the 19 goals and 12 game changers outlined in the (Ivany) report.”